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Tri-Galactic Military Wyvern Class Pocket Battleship:

“The German pocket battleships were designed as long range commerce raiders and were designed to be powerful enough to sink anything they could not outrun and fast enough to outrun anything they could not sink”

-Pocket Battleships of World War Two, Fourth Edition, 2013

“The Wyvern class cruisers? Encased in an eggshell but armed with a war hammer. We cannot recommend these ship to Independent Defense Forces within Consortium and we have heard some dark rumors about the quality of the ships construction”

-Commodore Randolf Wilkins, CAF BuShips

“Wyvern class Pocket Battleships, they are built out of used components that everyone else has discarded yet these ships prove that old does not mean weak. I personally have destroyed three smasher class cruisers while in command of the Manticore”

-Captain Laura Steele, TMS Naval Forces

There are plenty of weapon systems that can be found in scrap yards around the Three Galaxies. Some of these parts are used for asteroid fortresses but that still leaves plenty of scrap materials to go around. The engineers with the mercenary company known as Tri-galactic Military Services came up with a ship design that uses them as well. The design uses a combination of old starship weapon system and new starship systems. In most cases, the energy weapons are older style mounts but the newer generation missile launchers are normally used although they try to use launchers scavenged from scrap vessels as well. Surprisingly, other mercenary companies and even some of the smaller governments approached the mercenary company to purchase these vessels. As a result of interest, Tri-galactic Military Services has set up a small shipyard in orbit of Norrelgo-5 and have allowed other shipyards to produce these ships for a percentage of the profits. The ship is much less expensive than ships that are constructed using new system but are surprisingly quite capable. These ships have engaged fighters, destroyers, and cruisers. The results have been quite good in favor of the Wyverns.

Before being used on the ships that they built, the T.M.S. engineers carefully test and recondition all of the used components that the use on their ships. Some of the independent shipyards may not be as careful and before taking possession, the purchaser should carefully examine the vessel. The ships use four 40 cm and two 18 cm heavy particle beams as the main energy weapons of the Pocket Battleship. These mounts are generally from Yamato class battleships and several types of orbital defense fortresses. While the mounts themselves slightly cumbersome, the power relay systems use more modern components which are more robust and are smaller in size. Four 12 cm heavy laser mounts similar to those carried on most older Human Alliance ships are carried. These are backed up by heavy gravity rail guns. The rail gun type are carried on most CAF capital ships and the Scimitar class frigate. This gives the ship the ability to hit targets that are impervious to energy. The main missile launchers are the standard thirty two cell missile launchers that are carried on the Consortium Warshield class cruiser. There are not enough used “modern” capital missile batteries available so new systems are generally used. It slightly increases the costs of the ships using them but they have been found to have slightly less chance of breaking down. The payload for the launchers is quite limited and the ship only has five full volleys of fire before running out of missiles. Four of these make up the ships main battery and they are backed up by missile launchers that are very similar to New Coventry’s Pepperbox launchers. Each launcher has five tubes instead of four and up to sixteen can be carried on the ship but when purchased, they cost extra. Four long range defense, the ship carries four Consortium style long range missile batteries. The situation with the number of used launchers available these launchers is similar to the situation with the capital missile batteries.. For the ships main point defense, mini-missile launchers are used. There are huge numbers of used mini-missile launchers available so used launchers are used. To back these up are eight electro-magnetic rail guns and eight variable focus particle beams. These particle beams were initially only used on Consortium Assault Shuttles and in most cases they do not survive to be recycled.

The Wyvern uses recycled armor material as well and when the covering paint is burned off, armor of many different colors can often been seen. In most cases, using recycled structural framework would weaken the ships at more than acceptable levels so new structural materials are used for the frame. The ships themselves are new construction and not refitted civilian hulls. The Wyvern is slightly less armored than most combat vessels her size but can still take quite a pounding. The ship shields are actually a combination of shield generators from lighter ships that are tied together. The problem with this system is that it consumes more power but has the advantage of the shield not being reduced as much if one generator breaks down. The propulsion systems are taken from older ships and this is one of the weaknesses of the design. The ship does not accelerate as fast as ship with newer engines and is fairly slow in faster than light travel for a military ship. Except where older sensor systems are about equal to modern systems, the sensor systems carried are new sensors and electronics. While a ship can afford to carry older weapon systems, sensors and electronics warfare equipment are too important to have older systems carried.

As is common for a relatively small ship that carries heavy weapon systems, the Wyvern is very cramped and the command and control facilities are limited. Ships stores have been cut back and this limits the ships endurance without resupply. When the TMS has used these ships, they make sure plenty of supply tenders are available to support the Wyverns. The ship also only carries a small number of marine, which are mostly used for ship defense, and two squadrons of fighters. The ship normally carries one squadron of light fighters and one squadron of medium fighters. Up to 20 light power armors can be carried.

This starship design uses modified starship speed and weapon range rules. See Revised Starship Rules for Phase World / Three Galaxies for more details.

Model: TMS-CR-03A

Class: Pocket Battleship / Light Battlecruiser

Crew: 850 (75 Officers, 775 enlisted)

Troops: 200 marines (80 typically stay on board for ship defense), 36 fighter pilots, and 20 power armor pilots

Vehicle, Robots, and Power Armors:

Power Armors:

Fighter Compliment:

Special:

M.D.C. By Location:

Notes:

[1] In reality this is how much damage needs to be done for a weapon to hit the bridge through the ship’s armor. This ship also has an auxiliary bridge. Even if both bridges are taken out, the ship can still be piloted from engineering but ship is -3 to dodge and all weapon systems will be at local control. Weapon hits near the bridge that do not penetrate the ships integrity can injure crew members on or near the bridge.

[2] Destroying the main engines means that the ship’s faster than light systems are destroyed and maximum sublight speed is reduced by half.

[3] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will put the pocket battleship / cruiser out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.

[4] Shields positions can be varied and all could be combined in one shield. Shields regenerate at the rate of 5% (2,400 M.D.C.) per melee round.

Speed:

Driving on the Ground: Not Possible.

Sublight: Has a special sublight engine that allows the ship to travel up to 60 percent of the speed of light. Star Ship can accelerate/decelerate at the rate of 0.75 percent of light per melee.

Atmospheric Propulsion: Maximum normal speed is 400 mph (644 kph), can enter an atmosphere and can leave but is not designed for atmospheric flight.

Stardrive: Uses a Gravitonic Drive system that allows the ship to reach a maximum of 3.5 light years per hour.

Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited by either drive system. Carries about four months worth of supplies on board.

Statistical Data:

Length:1,389.1 feet (423.4 meters).

Height:270.7 feet (82.5 meters).

Width:315.9 feet (96.3 meters)

Weight/Mass:2.5 million tons (2.3 million metric tons)

Power System: Anti-Matter with a 25 year life span. The ship normally only goes 7 years between refueling and refitting.

Cargo: Cargo holds are scattered about the ship that allows for carrying up to 20,000 tons (18,140 metric tons) of Cargo in addition to standard compliment of supplies and ammunition. Each enlisted crew member has a small locker for personal items and uniforms. Ship’s officers have more space for personal items. Most of the ship’s spaces are taken up by extra ammunition, armor, troops, weapons, engine, and other equipment.

Market Cost: Using mostly used components, 10.5 Billion credits. Using more new components such as missile launchers, 12.5 billion credits. These ships cost about half of selling cost to manufacture. Five shot external launchers cost 32 million credits extra each. Sixteen launchers add 512 million credits to the cost of the vessel.

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

1. Four (4) 40 cm Main Particle Beam Mounts (2 Batteries): Mounted along the sides of the hull are two mounts with two 40 cm particle beams on each mount. While these weapons are not quite as powerful as the 40 inch laser batteries on the Protector class Battleship, they are quite powerful and capable of taking out huge targets. Each battery can fire at up to two different targets or can be combined on one target. These cannons are capable of firing forward to aft and anywhere along the side of the ship. The cannons are also capable of 45 degrees up or down. When these weapons are massed, they are capable of taking out cruisers in two blasts. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 70,000 miles (112,650 km)in space and 70 miles (112.7 km) in an atmosphere

   Mega Damage: 1D6x1000 M.D.C. each Particle Beam. Both weapons in a battery can be combined to do 2D6x1000 M.D.C.

   Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam. (Pocket Battleship has 4 cannons so ship can fire a total of 12 single shots from the main battery per melee round.)

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

2. Two (2) 18 cm Secondary Particle Beam Mounts: These 18 cm particle beams are mounted in the forward area of the ship. Batteries can be fired up to 120 degrees toward the rear on either side (can only fire one cannon at a target at that angle but can spin to be able to bring both batteries to bear) and can fire at a 30 degree angle up or down. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 70,000 miles (112,650 km) in space and 70 miles (112.7 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 3D6x100 M.D.C. each (6D6x100 M.D.C. for both)

   Rate of Fire: Maximum of three (3) times per melee per particle beam.

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

3. Four (4) 8 cm Heavy Gravity Rail Guns: Used as one of the ship’s secondary batteries. They are used against targets that are impervious to energy as well. System can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee) and can rotate 180 degrees. Rail gun projectile speed at a significant fraction of the speed of light. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 10,000 miles (16,100 km) in space, range is 10 miles (16.1 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: 1D4x100 M.D.C. per 80 round burst each.

   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

   Payload: 32,000 rounds each (400 bursts)

4. Four (4) 12 cm Heavy Laser Cannons: Laser cannons are used against frigates and as against heavily reinforced targets. Two are located on either side of ship. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets. The barrels can be can be rotated 180 degrees in all directions. Only two cannons can be fired as one volley. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at faster than light velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (25.8 km) through atmosphere and 16,000 miles (25,800 km) in space.

   Mega Damage: 2D6x100 M.D.C. each or 4D6x100 for two.

   Rate of Fire: Maximum of two (2) times per melee each laser cannon.

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

5. Eight (8) Variable Focus Particle Beam Mounts: These particle beams are copied from those carried on the CAF Assault Shuttle and will fire a very powerful narrow beam and can fire a scatter effect that is less powerful but is capable of striking multiple targets. The weapon system is quite useful against missiles although the cone is not as wide as Tachyon cannon sprays are (Gives +2 bonus vs fast moving targets such as missiles.) Weapons are mounted in turrets that can rotate 360 and have a 180 arc of fire. Each mount can be operated by a gunner or a gunner program (+2 to strike, 3 Attacks per melee).

   Maximum Effective Range: 300 miles (480 km) in space and 3 miles (4.8 km) in an atmosphere.

   Mega Damage: Single Target: 4D6x10 per blast. Wide Beam: 5D6 to all targets within a 5,000 foot (1,524 meter) diameter area. When fired as a wide beam, the cannon cannot be used on targets closer than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) away.

   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

6. Eight (8) Point Defense 15 mm Electromagnetic Rail Guns: Unlike most of the rail guns used on Phase World / Three Galaxies starships, these are standard electromagnetic rail guns. They are used as an anti-starfighter and missile weapon and against targets that are impervious to energy. Each rail gun is in a turret that can rotate 360 and has a 180 arc of fire. When used in space, projectiles are fired from rail guns at a significant fraction of the speed of light. Mounts use a 15 mm depleted uranium projectiles. The weapon system cannot be used to engage targets while traveling at F.T.L. velocities.

   Maximum Effective Range: 16 miles (26 km) through atmosphere and 800 miles (1,290 km) in space.

   Mega-Damage: Rail gun inflicts 3D6x10 M.D.C. for an 80 round burst.

   Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 4 or 5).

   Payload: 16,000 Rounds (200 Bursts) each cannon.

7. Four (4) Cruise Missile Batteries: Missile has a top speed of Mach 25 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 10% of light per turn (far faster than any starship.) Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launching starship, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless preset to self destruct or receives a destruct code but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) See Modified starship rules for more details - Cruise missiles have penalties to hit small targets but are all considered smart missiles. These are modern Consortium missile batteries similar to those carried on a number of warships. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

   Maximum Effective Range: Cruise Missile range is 8,000 miles (12,875 km) in an atmosphere and 4,000,000 miles (6,437,376 km/ 21.5 light seconds) in space.

   Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Anti-Matter multi-warheads inflict 5D6x100 M.D.C. each.)

   Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) per launcher, per melee round, for a maximum of 128 missiles per melee. Launchers are reloaded on the same melee and can be fired again on the next.

   Payload: 128 total, 32 cruise missiles per launcher. Ship has 4 reload of missiles (512 cruise missile reloads total). The Wyvern class also normally carries sixteen “Pepperbox” five shot launchers (May be combined with internal launchers).

8. Four (4) Long Range Missile Batteries: Missile has a top speed of Mach 20 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 8% of light per turn (faster than any starship.) Whether weapons can be shot down is calculated from the speed of target, launcher, and missile. When drive goes dead, missile will continue to travel in a straight line unless set to self destruct but has very low odds of hitting star ships (Great for hitting bases and planets because target does not move and missile, when unpowered, is at -25% to be detected.) Long range missiles do not have penalties to hit small targets, unlike cruise missiles, and are all considered smart missiles. Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

   Maximum Effective Range: Long Range Missile range is 3,400 miles (5,470 km) in an atmosphere and 1,800,000 miles (2,897,000 km/9.7 light seconds) in space.

   Mega-Damage & Properties: See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details (Fusion warheads inflict 2D4x100 M.D.C. each.)

   Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of two (2), eight (8), sixteen (16), or thirty-two (32) per launcher, per melee attack.

   Payload: 960 total, 240 long range missiles per launcher.

9. Eight (8) Mini-Missile Launchers: These are missile turrets used for point defense against enemy fighters and missiles. Missile has a top speed of Mach 10 in an atmosphere and in space has an acceleration of 2% of light per turn (slightly faster than any starship except if it is exceeding it maximum safe acceleration.) Batteries can launch on multiple targets each at the same time.

   Maximum Effective Range: Mini Missile range is 2 miles (3.2 km) in an atmosphere and 100 miles (161 km) in space.

   Mega-Damage: Varies with mini-missile type ( See revised Phase World / Three Galaxies missile tables for details.)

   Rate of Fire: Can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys of four (4) or eight (8) missiles.

   Payload: 128 per launcher for a total of 1,024 mini-missiles. Cargo hold has an additional 3,072 mini-missile. Reloading launchers from cargo hold takes 1D6 minutes.

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

Copyright © 2000, 2011, 2013, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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